Electrocatalytic Urea Synthesis Team

Winner: 2023 Materials Chemistry Horizon Prize: Stephanie L Kwolek Prize

For the development of efficient electrocatalysts to support conversion of nitrogen towards a more sustainable and economical method of producing urea, a key compound for fertilisers.

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A new, greener method of producing urea - a key compound found in fertiliser – has been discovered by a team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University, the University of Texas Austin and the University of Science and Technology of China.

The use of urea in fertiliser is vital for crop growth and helps to feed more than half the world’s population. As global food demand rises, this exciting development could contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices and inspire the design of sustainable chemistry approaches.

Urea is currently produced by reacting carbon dioxide (CO₂) and ammonia (NH₃) at relatively high temperatures and high pressure using the Haber-Bosch approach. However, this is energy intensive and accounts for 2% of total global energy consumption and 2% of global CO₂ emissions. The team of scientists, led by Prof Qingyu Yan and Prof Guihua Yu, developed a new reaction path for the creation of urea using indium (III) hydroxide (In(OH)₃) and achieved record high efficiency.

The global population is growing and with that comes a rising demand for food. We hope this new method helps pave the way for more sustainable agricultural practices so that we can produce enough food to feed everyone in a more environmentally friendly way.

The team

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Mengxin Chen, PhD student, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Gang Chen, Professor, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Khang Ngoc Dinh, Research fellow, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Zhiwei Fang, PhD student, Materials Science and Engineering Program and Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering,The University of Texas at Austin
Huey Hoon Hng, Professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Xiaoli Jin, Assistant Professor, College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanyang Normal University
Yi Kong, PhD student, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Carmen Lee, PhD student, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Shuzhou Li, Associate Professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Hengjie Liu, Assistant Professor, University of Science and Technology of China
Jiawei Liu, Research fellow, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Daobin Liu, Research fellow, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Kian Ping Loh, Professor, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore
Chade Lv, Professor, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Zeming Qi, Professor, University of Science and Technology of China
Minhua Shao, Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Li Song, Professor, University of Science and Technology of China
Wenjie Xu, Research fellow, University of Science and Technology of China
Chunshuang Yan, Professor, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Qingyu Yan, Professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Lan Yang, Research fellow, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
Yao Yao, PhD student, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Guihua Yu, Professor, Materials Science and Engineering Program and Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering,The University of Texas at Austin
Wei Yu, PhD student, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore
Lixiang Zhong, Assistant Professor, School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology

Q&A

What was your role within the team?

Guihua Yu: I co-directed this team project, and oversee the nanomaterial design of electrocatalysts for urea synthesis.

Qingyu Yan: I am the principle investigator (PI) of the team.

What were the biggest challenges in this project?

Guihua Yu: The main challenge is to develop advanced electrocatalytic processes using abundant and low-cost materials for high-yield urea electrosynthesis.

Qingyu Yan: To get high efficiency of electrocatalytic process for urea production.

What different strengths did different people bring to the team?

Qingyu Yan: My group member Chade Lv and I work on design and carry out the catalysts, electrocatalytic urea synthesis. Prof Guihua Yu worked with us on the experimental design and data analysis. Prof Shuzhou Li carried out the theory and modelling work. Prof Li Song did the synchrotron X-ray analysis of the reaction process.

Why is this work so important and exciting?

Guihua Yu: Urea is one of the most important synthetic nitrogen fertilisers for agriculture and global food production. Currently, urea is mainly derived from ammonia (NH₃) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). This energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process often consumes approximately 80% of the NH₃. Electrochemical synthesis of urea can provide a promising sustainable strategy that may be incorporated into currently distributed renewable energy systems.

Qingyu Yan: Our team realised a more sustainable electrocatalytic approach that allows for direct and selective synthesis of urea from nitrate (a highly desirable nitrogen-containing reactant) and carbon dioxide with an indium hydroxide catalyst at ambient conditions. Through their catalyst design principles, they could suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and enhance N₂ adsorption for the nitrogen fixation process. This work suggests an appealing route of urea production and provides deep insight into the underlying chemistry of the C-N coupling reaction that could guide the sustainable synthesis of other indispensable chemicals.

Where do you see the biggest impact of this technology/research being?

Guihua Yu: This work enables a concept of a sustainable urea production method using nitrate and carbon dioxide, via the sustainable electricity to help address environmental concerns. Moreover, it provides deeper insights into the fundamental mechanisms for C–N coupling, which can shed light on sustainable synthesis of many other important chemicals in the future.

What does good research culture look like or mean to you?

Qingyu Yan: An open mind for new concepts with careful thinking of feasibility.

Why is chemistry important?

Guihua Yu: Chemistry is often considered as the central science as it connects together many other sciences, such as biology, materials science, medicine, nanoscience, physics and engineering science. It lays the very foundation for technological breakthroughs that can benefit our human life!

Qingyu Yan: This is fundamental science that produce everything for our daily life.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Qingyu Yan: Be open mind, be enthusiastic, be confident, and follow your interests.